My To-do List Doesn't Define Me

Despite the business of life, I have a couple days of the week when I don't have after work activities. Sometimes, these are my favorite days of the week because with the other days being booked, it becomes harder to fit those little tasks in my schedule. I am a HUGE to-do list person. I have a planner that stays by my side, I use my Google Calendar and I have little notes everywhere for extra reminders.

Now that we're planning a wedding, I've discovered a whole new caliber for what I can do in a day. I've cut back time on social media on television, and I'm constantly ready for gaps in my schedule to fill with messaging a vendor or grabbing someone's address.

I've been really proud of myself with the way that I have stayed so organized during this season. But last week, some unexpected obstacles gave me some trouble. I ended up having to stay at work a little late. When I got out of the office, traffic turned by 14 minute commute into an hour. This cut back my hour long workout into a 30 minute workout. Then, when I went to get on my computer, our WiFi was down and I couldn't do anything I had scheduled to do. I was so disappointed and feeling really low. Of course when it rains it pours, and there were a couple other annoying things that happened. I went to bed too late that night frustrated, not being able to do what I "needed" to do.

I woke up the next morning with the sweetest statement in my head, "My to-do list does not define me". I can write everything out in my cute planner. I can schedule out how I will fit everything into a day. I can reorganize my week until it all flows together. But there are some things I just can't predict or change.

There will be days that don't go as planned. Even when I can't get it all done, if I go to sleep at night knowing I did my best with what the day offered me, that should be enough. The little checks in the boxes of my tasks for the day may give me satisfaction, but they aren't what makes me valuable. It's easy to find our identity in our accomplishments, even the smallest ones. We have to remember that it's not about what we do or don't do that makes us the incredible souls that we are. It's the miracle of our efforts, and God's unrelenting grace that gives us the grit to try again.